Graphic Novel – Page 26 – Jill's Book Blog

Review: Pashmina

Title: Pashmina
Author: Nidhi Chanani
Genre: Graphic Novel, Young Adult
Publisher: First Second
Source: Library
Release Date: October 3, 2017
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

Priyanka Das has so many unanswered questions: Why did her mother abandon her home in India years ago? What was it like there? And most importantly, who is her father, and why did her mom leave him behind? But Pri’s mom avoids these questions–the topic of India is permanently closed.

For Pri, her mother’s homeland can only exist in her imagination. That is, until she find a mysterious pashmina tucked away in a forgotten suitcase. When she wraps herself in it, she is transported to a place more vivid and colorful than any guidebook or Bollywood film. But is this the real India? And what is that shadow lurking in the background? To learn the truth, Pri must travel farther than she’s ever dared and find the family she never knew.

In this heartwarming graphic novel debut, Nidhi Chanani weaves a tale about the hardship and self-discovery that is born from juggling two cultures and two worlds.

Review:

Last year, I saw this book everywhere, so I was curious to read it myself. It was great!

I liked the way that Priyanka discovered her history throughout the book. She had a lot of questions about her life, including who her father was, but her mother didn’t give her any answers. She felt much more comfortable with herself and her relationship with her mother once she finally got all of her answers.

The pashmina was a magical item. It gave Pri a taste of what India would be like, which made her want to go there. However, the pashmina only shows one side of things. Not all of India looks the way it did in the fantasy. There is also a lot of poverty that Pri wasn’t expecting.

I really enjoyed this story. It showed how Pri learned to combine her two cultures, American and Indian.

Review: Josie and the Pussycats Vol. 1

Title: Josie and the Pussycats Vol. 1
Author: Marguerite Bennett, Cameron DeOrdio, Adurey Mok
Genre: Graphic Novel
Publisher: Archie Comics
Source: Library
Release Date: June 13, 2017
Rating: ★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

READ THE LATEST, SUREFIRE TOP-OF-THE-CHARTS NEW RIVERDALE SERIES!
JOSIE AND THE PUSSYCATS VOL. 1 is the first collection of an all-new take onthe world’s biggest comic book band. Marguerite Bennett (DC Comics’ Bombshells, Marvel’s A-Force) and co-writer Cameron DeOrdio team with Audrey Mok (Heroine Chic) to retell the origin and story behind the music for Josie, Valerie, and Melody.
Friends, countrymen, lend me your long tails and ears for hats–the Pussycats are back! In this series kick-off, Josie’s getting the band together to help achieve her dreams of musical stardom. But for the group to last, it needs a strong foundation of friendship and trust. Can the girls get going, or will Alexandra Cabot’s plotting put a stop to the whole thing? Don’t miss comics’ supreme songstresses’ return to the limelight in this exciting first volume!

Review:

I loved the Josie and the Pussycats movie when I was a kid, but I think this is the first Josie and the Pussycats comic that I’ve read!

This story tells the origin of the group. Josie McCoy is a twenty-four year old girl who lives in Riverdale. Her love of animals leads her to a charity concert, where she forms a band with her roommate Melody and their new friend Valerie. Though these characters come from Riverdale, like Archie and the gang, these girls are adults so it isn’t the same scenario as the kids at Riverdale high.

I really enjoyed this book. There was good tension between Josie and her former friend and arch nemesis Alexandra. There were loads of puns and references. At first they were funny, but then there ended up being at least two puns or references to pop culture on every page. It got a little annoying by the end. I think there should have been less puns and more conflict.

Overall, this was a great book. I can’t wait to read the next volume.

Review: Target Practice (Cleopatra in Space #1)

Title: Target Practice (Cleopatra in Space #1)
Author: Mike Maihack
Genre: Middle Grade
Publisher: Scholastic
Source: Library
Release Date: April 29, 2014
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

A funny, action-packed graphic novel featuring a young Cleopatra — yes, THAT Cleopatra — who’s transported to the future and learns it’s up to her to save the galaxy!

When a young Cleopatra (yes, THAT Cleopatra) finds a mysterious tablet that zaps her to the far, REALLY far future, she learns of an ancient prophecy that says she is destined to save the galaxy from the tyrannical rule of the evil Xaius Octavian. She enrolls in Yasiro Academy, a high-tech school with classes like algebra, biology, and alien languages (which Cleo could do without), and combat training (which is more Cleo’s style). With help from her teacher Khensu, Cleo learns what it takes to be a great leader, all while trying to figure out how she’s going to get her homework done, make friends, and avoid detention!

Review:

This book is a really cool combination of ancient Egypt and science fiction.

Cleopatra travels in time from ancient Egypt into the future. She is a teenager, and struggles with her studies and the fact that she will become queen, and she is shocked when she lands thousands of years in the future. Her surprise at time travel wasn’t too dramatic but I think if it really happened to her, she would have been freaking out rather than adjusting to her new life just fine.

I flew through this book. It was really funny at times. There were lots of talking cats in charge of the school! Cleopatra was quite the fighter, which made for some exciting scenes. I also never imagined that space in the future would look so similar to ancient Egypt.

This story was very fast paced, with lots of stuff packed in! I’ll definitely be continuing this series!

Review: Positively Izzy

Title: Positively Izzy
Author: Terri Libenson
Genre: Middle Grade
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Source: Borrowed from a friend
Release Date: May 1, 2018
Rating: ★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

Award-winning comics creator and author of the bestselling Invisible Emmie Terri Libenson returns with a companion graphic novel that captures the drama, angst, and humor of middle-school life. Perfect for fans of Raina Telgemeier, Jennifer Holm, and Victoria Jamieson.

Middle school is all about labels.

Izzy is the dreamer. There’s nothing Izzy loves more than acting in skits and making up funny stories. The downside? She can never quite focus enough to get her schoolwork done.

Bri is the brain. But she wants people to see there’s more to her than just a report card full of As. At the same time, she wishes her mom would accept her the way she is and stop bugging her to “break out of her shell” and join drama club.

The girls’ lives converge in unexpected ways on the day of a school talent show, which turns out to be even more dramatic than either Bri or Izzy could have imagined.

Review:

This is a good book about middle school.

I liked that these girls had to deal with conflicts like getting poor grades and being grounded. These are real things, which could mean that you miss out on school events.

Brianna’s mom works at her school, which I think was kind of obvious from the way she acted at the beginning. But we had to wait a while for the big reveal that her mom is a teacher. I think she was overreacting to that. My mom worked in my school office for many of my elementary school years, and it was so handy to have my mom there! I loved it. If I felt sick or needed anything, I could always go downstairs and see her.

I liked the big reveal at the end of this book. I was wondering through the whole book what the connection between the two stories was, and I liked the ending. However, I wish we didn’t have to wait until the very last page to figure it out.

Review: Secret Coders (Secret Coders #1)

Title: Secret Coders (Secret Coders #1)
Author: Gene Luen Yang, Mike Holmes
Genre: Middle Grade, Graphic Novel
Publisher: First Second
Source: Library
Release Date: September 29, 2015
Rating: ★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

Welcome to Stately Academy, a school which is just crawling with mysteries to be solved! The founder of the school left many clues and puzzles to challenge his enterprising students. Using their wits and their growing prowess with coding, Hopper and her friend Eni are going to solve the mystery of Stately Academy no matter what it takes!

From graphic novel superstar (and high school computer programming teacher) Gene Luen Yang comes a wildly entertaining new series that combines logic puzzles and basic programming instruction with a page-turning mystery plot!

Review:

I really enjoyed this book!

It shows kids how to use coding in the real world, not just on a computer. Actually, there weren’t any traditional computers in this book. The kids found a robot, which would respond to commands that were programmed into it. The janitor used the robot for practical reasons, like cleaning the yard, but also for secret reasons too.

There was a twist involving a teacher that I didn’t see coming. There is also a mystery that involves Hopper’s father. I have no idea where that storyline is going to go, so I really want to continue the series.

The story ended on a cliffhanger, so I’m going to have to read the next one soon for find out what happens!

Review: Heavy Vinyl, Vol. 1

Title: Heavy Vinyl
Author: Carly Usdin, Nina Vakueva
Genre: Graphic Novel
Publisher: BOOM! Box
Source: Library
Release Date: April 24, 2018
Rating: ★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

When Chris joins the staff at her local record store, she’s surprised to find out that her co-workers share a secret: they’re all members of a secret fight club that take on the patriarchy and fight crime!

Starry-eyed Chris has just started the dream job every outcast kid in town wants: working at Vinyl Mayhem. It’s as rad as she imagined; her boss is BOSS, her co-workers spend their time arguing over music, pushing against the patriarchy, and endlessly trying to form a band. When Rosie Riot, the staff’s favorite singer, mysteriously vanishes the night before her band’s show, Chris discovers her co-workers are doing more than just sorting vinyl . . . Her local indie record store is also a front for a teen girl vigilante fight club!

Follow writer Carly Usdin (director of Suicide Kale) and artist Nina Vakueva (Lilith’s World) into the Hi-Fi Fight Club, where they deliver a rock and roll tale of intrigue and boundless friendship.

Review:

I loved this book!

The girls are hilarious. I was surprised at the introduction of their fight club. At first, it seemed like they were just working in a record shop, but then it turns out that they have a secret fight club where they fight against injustice. It’s a great twist on a traditional girl power story, since they have a secret identity where they fight crimes.

I enjoyed the mystery of Rosie Riot’s disappearance. It was strange that she suddenly disappeared without a trace. I didn’t like the subplot of the bands being brainwashed. The explanation for that wasn’t believable.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. I can’t wait to see what happens next!

Review: This One Summer

Title: This One Summer
Author: Jillian Tamaki, Mariko Tamaki
Genre: Young Adult
Publisher: First Second
Source: Library
Release Date: May 6, 2014
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

Every summer, Rose goes with her mom and dad to a lake house in Awago Beach. It’s their getaway, their refuge. Rosie’s friend Windy is always there, too, like the little sister she never had. But this summer is different. Rose’s mom and dad won’t stop fighting, and when Rose and Windy seek a distraction from the drama, they find themselves with a whole new set of problems. It’s a summer of secrets and sorrow and growing up, and it’s a good thing Rose and Windy have each other.

In This One Summer two stellar creators redefine the teen graphic novel. Cousins Mariko and Jillian Tamaki, the team behind Skim, have collaborated on this gorgeous, heartbreaking, and ultimately hopeful story about a girl on the cusp of her teen age — a story of renewal and revelation.

Review:

This is a great summer story. It deals with mature problems that aren’t always in teen/preteen novels.

The two characters are preteens. They are just going through puberty, since they are always talking about getting boobs. That part was funny. I really liked Windy. She was a comic character. She was always dancing and being silly, but sometimes others laughed at her, rather than with her.

There are different pregnancy issues in this book, which kids may not learn about in health class, but they can happen. Rose’s mom wanted to have another baby, but she couldn’t. She had miscarriages. Her insistence on having another baby made Rose feel like she wasn’t enough of a daughter for her. Rose and Windy like the cute boy who works at the convenience store. They overhear his conversations with his friends about another girl, who he got pregnant. The boy, called the Dud, refused to speak to her after he found out she was pregnant. He wasn’t nice, and the girls didn’t like him so much after that, but that is a real problem that some girls have to deal with.

The graphics were also amazing. There was a lot of movement in the pictures, along with sound effects. It really looked like they were moving sometimes. The short panels that moved like a flip book also created movement in the illustrations.

I really liked this graphic novel. It was emotional and serious, but there were some funny parts as well.

The Archies & Other Stories

Title: The Archies & Other Stories
Author: Mark Waid, Alex Segura, Joe Eisma
Genre: Graphic Novel
Publisher: Archie Comics
Source: Library
Release Date: October 3, 2017
Rating: ★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

Join in the fun of THE ARCHIES along with BIG MOOSE along with the horrific JUGHEAD: THE HUNGER in this graphic novel collection spotlighting Archie Comics’ hit one-shot series!

THE ARCHIES: Follow Archie’s quest to make his songwriting dreams a reality, and see what happens when the rock ‘n’ roll dream starts affecting his relationships with his closest friends. Join co-writers Alex Segura and Matthew Rosenberg (Marvel’s Kingpin, Rocket Raccoon) and artist Joe Eisma (Morning Glories) for a power-pop one-shot that goes loud on the music, fun and friendship.

BIG MOOSE: Riverdale’s resident jock gets the spotlight in this special one-shot where everything’s Moose! Stories by Sean Ryan, Ryan Cady and Gorf with art by Cory Smith, Thomas Pitilli and Wilfredo Torres!

JUGHEAD THE HUNGER: Jughead Jones has always had an insatiable appetite… but what if his hunger came from a sinister place? When a murderous menace is on the prowl, taking the lives of some of the most well-known and esteemed inhabitants of Riverdale, Jughead and his family’s dark legacy comes to light. Join writer Frank Tieri (Wolverine) and artist Michael Walsh (Secret Avengers) for this horrifying one-shot for TEEN+ readers.

Review:

This graphic novel is a collection of three comics from different Archie Comics series.

The story The Archies is about the creation of Archie’s band. Archie agrees to play a gig, before even creating a band, so his friends have to come to his rescue. It is a typical Archie story, where he makes a mistake and then his friends help him figure it out.

The story Big Moose is about the character Moose. He has to manage his busy life of school work, sports, home life, and his relationship with Midge. This story was a series of shorter comics which were like the original Archie comics that I read when I was a kid.

The story Jughead The Hunger was by far the most surprising one! In this story, there is a killer in Riverdale who is murdering various members of the town. The killer ends up being a werewolf, whose family has a legacy of lycanthropy. This story was unlike any Archie story I’ve read before because one of the main characters became a werewolf and a killer.

This is a great collection to read before choosing to start one of these series. I will definitely look for the Jughead series to see what happens next!

Review: Invisible Emmie

Title: Invisible Emmie
Author: Terri Libenson
Genre: Middle Grade
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Source: Borrowed from a friend
Release Date: May 2, 2017
Rating: ★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

This is the story of two totally different girls—quiet, shy, artistic Emmie and popular, outgoing, athletic Katie—and how their lives unexpectedly intersect one day when an embarrassing note falls into the wrong hands.

Review:

I really liked this book, until the ending.

It is a good comparison between a shy, quiet girl and the outgoing popular girl. However, I don’t think that Emmie’s position in the school would change so much in just one day. She experienced every emotion possible, from jealousy to anger and loneliness.

I found the ending super creepy! I’m going to spoil it here, so if you want to read the book, stop reading now. In the end, the popular girl, Katie, ended up being all in Emmie’s imagination! It’s like the cliche ending of “it was all a dream.” It turns out that Emmie sketched Katie and imagined her saying everything that Emmie couldn’t say. I was so disappointed in this because all along it seemed like Katie was a real person in the school!

I will admit the ending was surprising, but I found it creepy and strange too!

Review: Herakles Book 1

Title: Herakles Book 1
Author: Edouard Cour
Genre: Graphic Novel
Publisher: Lion Forge
Source: Publisher via NetGalley
Release Date: July 17, 2018
Rating: ★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

Author Edouard Cour revisits one of the greatest Greek myths by painting the often-heroic Herakles as, well . . . somewhat of a jerk. Crude and stubborn at times, in little glimpses we meet a man—half-human, after all—with a psychology more complex than he appears, entangled in guilt over the ghosts who have haunted him since childhood. A mournful sadness seizes him as he crosses the fleeting silhouettes of a woman and her three children. “Friends or foe, all those who cross his path end up stiff and worm food,” comments Linos, the ghost of his childhood music teacher.

Brimming with pathos and dark humor, this portrait of Herakles is a graphic whirlwind leaving little respite and often revealing beautiful surprises.

Review:

I love Greek mythology, but the story of Heracles is one that I never read.

I think this book is meant for fans of the story, rather than new readers. I know the general story, that he had to do tasks, but not specifics. I was confused through most of the story, especially by all of the different characters. There was a glossary of characters at the end of the book, but it would have been much more helpful at the beginning.

Herakles wasn’t a likeable character at all. He was a jerk most of the time, and pretty gross. He also passed most of his tests by fluke, and without using much skill.

Unfortunately, this book wasn’t for me.

Goodreads Synopsis:

Review:

What to read next:

Be Prepared by Vera Brosgol

Ghosts by Raina Telgemeier

Goodreads Synopsis:

Review:

What to read next:

Josie and the Pussycats Vol. 2

The Archies & Josie and the Pussycats

Goodreads Synopsis:

Review:

What to read next:

The Thief and the Sword (Cleopatra in Space #2)

The Lightning Thief (Percy Jackson and the Olympians #1)

Goodreads Synopsis:

Review:

What to read next:

Drama by Raina Telgemeier

Sisters by Raina Telgemeier

Goodreads Synopsis:

Review:

What to read next:

Paths & Portals (Secret Coders #2) by Gene Luen Yang and Mike Holmes

The Friendship Code (Girls Who Code #1) by Stacia Deutsch, Reshma Saujani, and Sisi A. Johnson

Goodreads Synopsis:

Review:

What to read next:

Goldie Vance, Vol. 1 by Hope Larson, Brittany Williams, Sarah Stern

Lumberjanes, Vol. 1: Beware the Kitten Holy by Noelle Stevenson, Grace Ellis, Shannon Watters, Brooke Allen

Goodreads Synopsis:

Review:

What to read next:

Ghosts by Raina Telgemeier

Be Prepared by Vera Brosgol

Goodreads Synopsis:

Review:

What to read next:

The Archies, Vol. 1 by Matthew Rosenberg, Alex Segura

Jughead: The Hunger by Frank Tieri, Michael Walsh

Goodreads Synopsis:

Review:

What to read next:

Positively Izzy by Terry Libenson

Drama by Raina Telgemeier

Goodreads Synopsis:

Review:

What to read next:

Mythic, Volume 1 by Phil Hester, John McCrea